Cup dispenser

ABSTRACT

A dispensing mechanism providing for sequential dispensing of individual cups from a stack of serially nested cups and including a dispensing device providing for delivery of the cup to be dispensed while restraining the next cup to be dispensed and thereby preventing undesired simultaneous delivery or dispensing of a plurality of cups.

United States Patent Andrew Stuard Graham, Jr. Wyucote. Pa.

Oct. 29, 1968 July 27, 1971 Fleck Industries, Inc, Wlllow Grove, Pa;

Inventor App]. No. Filed Patented Auignee CUP DISPENSER 1 Chi, 6 DrawingPb.

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[56} References Clted UNITED STATES PATENTS Loessw slwm Erwin 221/2471,975,649 353M934 Reifsnyder 221/308 236L880 11/1941 22l/307X FOREIGNPATENTS 218,824 11/1958 Australia 221/310 767,997 9/1967 Canada .i 22l/3[0 Primary Examiner-Samuel F. Coleman Attorney- Synnestvedt & LechnerABSTRACT: A dispensing mechanism providing for sequential dispensing ofindividual cups from a stack of serially nested cups and including adispensing device providing for delivery of the cup to be dispensedwhile restraining the next cup to be dispensed and thereby preventingundesired simultaneous delivery or dispensing of a plurality of cups.

CUP DISPENSER This invention relates to apparatus or equipment forsequentially dispensing articles such as cups from a stack of seriallynested articles or cups.

Many cup dispensers, especially when used with plastic cups, asdistinguished from paper cups, have an undesirable tendency to deliveror dispense a plurality of cups at one time, although it is ordinarilypreferred and intended to dispense the cups individually or one at atime. It is the principal object of the present invention to provide adispensing device or mechanism which is reliably operative to dispensethe cups individually and substantially eliminate undesired dispensingof a plurality of cups at one time.

It is a further object of the invention to provide for such individualdispensing of cups form a nested stack even where the cups are molded ofplastic material, and to enable use of the device with equal reliabilitywhether the cups are formed of paper or of such plastic.

Still another object of the invention is the provision of a dispensingdevice of the kind above referred to which is of exceptional simplicityand of low cost, so that it is practicable to use the device even invery inexpensive cup dispensers such as are commonly sold in foodmarkets and similar stores servicing the home marltet.

It is a further object of the present invention to provide dispensingequipment in which the action of dispensing one cup of a stack operatesor actuates devices for gripping the open edge or lip of the succeedingcup of the stack and thereby prevent unintentional dispensing of saidsucceeding cu l -iow the foregoing objects and advantages are attained,together with others which will occur to those skilled in the art willappear more fully from the following description referring to theaccompanying drawing illustrating a preferred embodiment of theinvention and in which FIG. 1 is a vertical sectional view through a cupdispenser equipped with the dispensing mechanism of the presentinvention, this view showing in dot and dash lines a stack of nestedcups in position in the dispenser;

FIG. 2 is a plan sectional view taken as indicated by the section line2-2 on FIG; 1, but without any illustration of cups therein;

FIG. 3 is an enlarged isometric view taken very generally in thedirection indicated by the line 3-3 applied to FIG. 2, but showing onlythe dispensing device or mechanism itself, without the surroundingenclosure which is included in FIGS. 1 and 2;

FIG. 4 is a sectional view on a further enlarged scale, of a portion ofthe dispensing device shown in FIG. 3, this view also illustratingportions of several cups in a nested stack;

FIG. 5 is a view similar to FIG. 4 but illustrating certain parts in adifferent position which they occupy during the dispensing action; and

FIG. 6 is a sectional view through an alternative form of dispensingdevice usable in accordance with the present invention.

In considering the embodiment illustrated in the drawings it is first tobe noted that the dispensing device is adapted to be employed with anyopen-mouthed receptacles, of which cups of various sizes and shapes aretypical, for instance drinking cups. Such cups and similar receptaclesadapted for stacking commonly have a conical or tapered sidewall andsome also have a projecting bead at the open mouth or lip of the cup.

Although the invention is adapted for use with any such receptacles,whether or not the lip is enlarged or provided with a projecting bead,the embodiment of the equipment shown in the drawings illustrates theuse of the equipment with a nested stack of typical drinking cups C,each having a lip L which is provided with an enlargement or bead aroundthe open mouth of the cup. The cups shown are also tapered in shape inorder to provide for nesting of one within another when stacked inposition in the dispenser, as is also customary.

Although the mechanism of the invention is adaptable to cup dispensersof a wide variety of types, in the figures of the drawings the mechanismof the invention has been shown as applied to a form of dispenseradapted for wall mounting. Such a wall appearsat W in FIGS. 1 and 2 andthe dispenser as a whole includes a wall-mounting bracket part indicatedgenerally at 6, and a separable or removable cup container generallyindicated at 7, the container advantageously being formed of transparentmaterial, such as transparent molded plastic, so that the quantity ofcups remaining in the dispenser may readily be observed.

As seen in FIGS. 1 and 2, the container 7 has three generally uprightsidewalls 8-8 and 9, and also has bottom and top walls 10 and 11. Thebottom wall 10 is apertured and when the container 7 is positioned inits normal position as in FIG. 1 the cups are dispensed through theaperture in the bottom wall 10. The container 7 is separable for thepurpose of reloading the dispenser with a new stack of nested cups, andthese cups may be inserted either through the open rear face of thecontainer or, ifdesired through an aperture provided in the top wall 11.

The dispensing mechanism itself preferably comprises a plurality ofdispensing devices arranged around the stack of cups in the dispenser inthe region of the discharge opening. While the dispensing devices may bemounted upon the container of the dispenser in a variety of ways,including separate or individual mounting of the several dispensingdevices, in the particular embodiment illustrated in the drawings, theseveral dispensing devices are mounted in common by means of a ring orsleeve indicated generally by the numeral 12 in FIG. 3. This ringcomprises cylindrical wall segments 13 the inside surfaces of which arecurved on a radius substantially conforming with the maximum or outsideradius of the cup lips L. The inside surfaces of the wall segments 13should provide a relatively close guide for the lips of the cups, butshould not bind upon the cup lips, so that the cups will freely enterinto and pass through the ring 12 during the dispensing action.

At a plurality of circumferentially spaced points, the ring 12 isprovided with channellike portions 14 projecting outwardly from the wallsegments 13 to accommodate dispensing devices indicated in general inFIGS. 2 and 3 by the numeral 15 and shown in greater detail in FIGS 4and 5. Each of these dispensing devices includes a cup-supportingelement 16 which as seen in FIGS, 3 and 4 is normally positioned toproject under and engage the lip of the first cup to be dispensed fromthe stack. Each dispensing device also further includes a stop element17 connected with the supporting element 16 and normally positioned soas to pass or clear the lips of the cups, as is shown in FIGS. 3 and 4.A front face of this stop element 17 thus is positioned at or justoutside of the projection of the inner cylindrical surface of the wallsegments 13. The interconnected supporting element 16 and stop element17 of each dispensing device are mounted by means of a web 18 projectinginwardly from the inner surface of the channel 14 in which the device isaccommodated. This web is flexible and provides a yielding mountsomewhat in the manner of a hinge. The interconnected elements 16 and 17thus have freedom for a rocking motion and from comparison of FIGS. 4and 5 it will be noted that the effective pivot or hinge axis of themounting provides for movement of the stop element inwardly toward thecups concurrently with outward movement of the supporting element 16away from the cups.

Because of the arrangement and mounting of the device 15, when the firstcup to be dispensed is grasped and pulled by the hand to effectdispensing thereof, the lip of that cup acting upon the supportingelements 16 causes those elements to be deflected downwardly andoutwardly, in consequence of which the stop elements 17 are caused tomove inwardly. The stop elements 17 are desirably spaced above thesupporting surface of the supporting elements 16 a distance not morethan and preferably slightly less than the center-to-center spacing ofthe cups in the stack. Therefore, when the stop elements 17 are causedto rock inwardly by dispensing of the first cup, the stop elements 17are moved against or under the lip of the cup next to the cup beingdispensed. This action restrains the "next cup" and prevents it frombeing dispensed with the first cup. The dispensing action itself thussets up an action restraining the second cup in the nested stack.

In order to ensure the action as described above, it is desirable thatthe lips of the cups be restrained as against distortion during thedispensing action and the inner surface of the cylindrical wall segments13 serve this function. Such restraining surfaces need not necessarilyextend throughout the entire distance between the dispensing devicesthemselves, but in any event, preferably are positioned to engage thelips of the cups in the regions at least near to and at each side of theseveral dispensing devices around the circumference of the cups. In theabsence of some guide means of this type, the pulling of a cup from thedispenser might have a tendency to merely distort the lip of the cup,instead of displacing the supporting elements 16 outwardly, which latteraction is desired in order to shift the stop elements inwardly to engageunder the lip of the following cup and thereby arrest it downward motionuntil the first cup is completely removed. This action is shown in FIG.5. As soon as the first cup has been freed from and passes downwardlybetween the deflected supporting elements 16, the elasticity of theflexible material of the webs 18 causes the supporting and stop elements16 and 17 to return to the position indicated in FIG. 4, at which timethe lip of the cup which had just been engaged by the stop elements 17descends to rest upon the supporting elements 16, and the dispenser isnow prepared for the dispensing of the next cup.

Although the total number of devices 15 and their spacing around thecircumference of the stack of cups may be different from thatillustrated in the drawings, there should be at least three suchdevices, and four, as shown in the drawings, is particularly effectivein providing reliable action.

Although the dispensing devices such as indicated in general at 15 couldbe mounted by means of an actual hinge structure having a hinge pin anda bias means establishing the positions indicated in FIG. 4 as thenormal condition, a highly effective and inexpensive way of providingthe mounting arrangement is to mold the entire device, including themounting webs of a flexible resin material, for instance polystyrene orpolypropylene.

As above noted, the dispensing devices 15 may be individually andseparately mounted on or may be molded directly with a dispensercontainer, but it is convenient to mount those devices on or mold thosedevices with a separate element such as the sleeve 12, which isassembled with a cup container, for instance in the manner shown in theillustrative embodiment of FIGS. 1 to 5. In the particular arrangementof the figures, the supporting and stop elements, as well as theflexible web 18 are desirably molded integrally with the ring 12 andthis ring may then be fastened at the dispensing end of a cup containerin any desired manner. For example, the region may be arranged forsnap-action interengagement with the container or, as shown in thedrawings, the ring 12 with the cooperating guide surfaces 13 anddispensing devices 15 may be fastened in the aperture in the bottom wall10 of the cup container by the use of welding" or plastic adhesive,indicated in FIGS. 4 and at 19. The apertured bottom wall of the cupcontainer (see FIGS. 1 and 2) is shouldered as indicated at 20 and ifdesired the ring 12 may be provided with similarly shouldered flanges orwebs, one of which is indicated at 21 in FIG. 3, adapted to mate withthe shouldered portions of the bottom wall 10. Other flanges or webs 22,shown at the left and right of FIG. 3, may also be provided and all ofthe webs 21 and 22 may be cemented or adhesively connected with thebottom wall l0. so that the ring 12 will be securely mounted inposition.

Instead of employment of adhesive or cement to per manently fasten thedispensing mechanism within the cup container, other means may beemployed for this purpose and, if desired, the dispensing mechanism mayeven be arranged as an adapter for insertion into the dispensing openingof an existivn glcup dispenser. I

ile the dispenser shown in the drawing 18 arranged to mount a nestedstack of cups in a vertically upright position, so that the action ofgravity assists in the feed of the cups downwardly, it will beunderstood that if desired the arrangement may be disposed at aninclined angle or may even be inverted so that the cups are dispensedupwardly instead of downwardly, in which latter event a means such as acompression spring located under the stack of cups may serve to advancethe cups upwardly against the action of gravity as the cups are seriallydispensed from the top of the stack. In view of this possible inversionof the arrangement, it will be understood that where reference is madein the claims to the positioning of a supporting element or a stopelement "under" a cup lip, it is not intended to exclude an arrangementin which the cups are dispensed upwardly.

Moreover, since, as above indicated the cups or receptacles with whichthe equipment is used may or may not be provided with a beaded lip,reference to the positioning of a support or stop element under" a cuplip, is not intended to exclude the case where the cup lip is notbeaded.

In considering the action of the devices 15 in restraining the nextsucceeding cup when one cup is being dispensed, attention is nowdirected to the modified arrangement illustrated in FIG. 6. Here thedispensing device is again mounted by means of a web 18 and has asupporting element 16 which is deflected by the action of dispensing acup. On this modification, however, the upper stop element is providedwith an inclined surface having a plurality of teeth 17a adapted toengage or grip the lip of the cup following the cup being dispensed.This arrangement may be used with cups or receptacles of a variety oftypes, including cups of the kind shown in the drawing having a beadedlip, and may be of especial advantage in connection with the dispensingof cups in which the lip is not beaded, for instance certain of theplastic cups made of foamed material. Even without a bead at the lip ofsuch a cup, the teeth 17a will provide an effective gripping action.

The arrangement as fully described above provides for individualdispensing of cups from a stack and virtually eliminates undesireddouble or multiple dispensing such as has been commonly encountered withprior cup dispensers. This is true even with respect to currentlyavailable molded plastic cups which are especially difficult to dispensewithout encountering undesired multiple dispensing.

Iclaim:

1. Apparatus for sequentially dispensing cups from a stack of seriallynested cups each having a lip or open edge, comprising a plurality ofcircumferentially spaced dispensing devices each including a supportingelement normally positioned to project under and engage the lip of thefirst cup to be dispensed from the stack and including a stop elementlocated adjacent the lip of the cup next to the cup to be dispensed andnormally positioned to pass the cup lips, and each of said devicesfurther including a mounting web for said elements, the said elementsand said web being formed of flexible resin material, the web lying in aplane generally transverse to the path of cup dispensing and beinginterconnected with the said elements in a position therebetween, andsaid mounting web being yieldable under the influence of manual pullingof the lip of the first cup against the supporting element and providingfor conjoint movement of said supporting and stop elements from saidnormal positions to positions in which the supporting element will passthe lip of the first cup and the stop element will engage the lip ofthenext cup.

1. Apparatus for sequentially dispensing cups from a stack of seriallynested cups each having a lip or open edge, comprising a plurality ofcircumferentially spaced dispensing devices each including a supportingelement normally positioned to project under and engage the lip of thefirst cup to be dispensed from the stack and including a stop elementlocated adjacent the lip of the cup next to the cup to be dispensed andnormally positioned to pass the cup lips, and each of said devicesfurther including a mounting web for said elements, the said elementsand said web being formed of flexible resin material, the web lying in aplane generally transverse to the path of cup dispensing and beinginterconnected with the said elements in a position therebetween, andsaid mounting web being yieldable under the influence of manual pullingof the lip of the first cup against the supporting element and providingfor conjoint movement of said supporting and stop elements from saidnormal positions to positions in which the supporting element will passthe lip of the first cup and the stop element will engage the lip of thenext cup.